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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26752636">Hanging Around</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Groot_the_tree/pseuds/Groot_the_tree'>Groot_the_tree</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes &amp; Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Chains, Dark John Watson, Handcuffs, Hurt/Comfort, Jealous John, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Parental Mrs. Hudson, Protective Big Brother Mycroft, Protective Greg, Punishment, Sherlock is a Mess, Unhealthy Relationships, Whumptober 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:22:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26752636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Groot_the_tree/pseuds/Groot_the_tree</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock is happy, he's got everything he needs, he has cases, he has John, for once, everything is going well for him.<br/>Except, this isn't normal for relationships, is it?<br/>-<br/>John gets jealous of the way Sherlock looks at Moriarty and decides to teach him a lesson.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hanging Around</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Decided to try Whumptober again this year. Hopefully, it'll go better than it did last year and I'll get more done. Prompt:<br/>No 1. LET’S HANG OUT SOMETIME<br/>Waking Up Restrained | Shackled | Hanging</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sherlock had never been happier. Sure there were moments of confusion, there always are in relationships, but especially when he’s never been in one that was so serious and lasted so long as the one he is currently in with John. </p><p>He couldn’t say he understands everything the other does or why he does them but if he asks questions, John answers him, he talks him through things and they get through it together, just like couples should. So yeah, he could say with confidence that he was happy and the moments of uncertainty and confusion was enough to keep him interested when he didn’t have something bigger going on, cases or experiments. </p><p>So, when he wakes up, his head feeling full and more tired than he has felt in a long time, the confusion has settled in. His eyes open slowly against the little light that is feeling the room. For a second, he wonders why he feels the way he does, as though his body is being dragged down but at the same time he isn’t on the floor, but then he makes the connection. He’s been drugged. </p><p>It was a feeling he’s felt often in his life, one that he doesn’t have to wonder about for long and one that he typically finds comfort in. Or used to, that is. Now it just feels like failure. </p><p>Why did he get high? He had been working so hard to stay sober, John, Mycroft, Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson, Molly, they all seemed to be so proud of him and now it felt like letting them down. That used to not bother him but now it does. For a moment he wonders what happened but then he realizes that it must be John. He was the reason that failure weighed on him so heavily now. Of course, it was him. It’s always John Watson who keeps him right.</p><p>Slowly he looks around the room to see where he is and notices something. It’s the upstairs bedroom. He’s still in 221B. Instead of getting answers, he has more questions. Why is he here? What does this mean? Who brought him up here or was this where he was using at to start with? He doesn’t remember using at all so there are no answers there. </p><p>That’s when his mind catches up a little more and he realizes the other thing he was feeling like he was floating. Only, he’s not. The feeling of weight pulling on his arms that are being held above his head, handcuffed together, and when he tries to move his legs he feels that they are being held together as well. </p><p>The weight of the situation hits him, he’s in the upstairs bedroom, John’s old room, drugged and chained to the ceiling, cuffed, there was no way he could get away or move too far. Who would do something like this to him? </p><p>His heart rate speeds up as he looks around, hoping for a sign, for a note explaining, for someone to be there watching him. His mind goes to people he knows would do this, Moriarty comes to mind but he doubts the man would go through so much trouble but the symbolism would match, there could be a lot hidden behind this.</p><p>The next is The Woman but, while she’s a dominatrix, he doesn’t think she would do this. Part of him believes she shares the respect that he has for her and would just continue to text him. </p><p>Perhaps one of Moriarty’s men but the question of how the chains would have been attached so securely still remains and how would they have done it without leaving a sign of having done so? If their boss had left instructions it could have happened but Sherlock doesn’t see the gain in doing this. </p><p>He wonders how long he’s going to have to be here before someone comes to find him or if anyone knows he’s here. How long has he already been here? Shouldn’t John have noticed that he’s missing by now? They’re always together but John does have work at the clinic so maybe he’s at work right now. </p><p>He leans back, looking to the ceiling, taking a breath, his arms are already sore and tired. </p><p>Then a thought comes to him, “Mrs. Hudson!” He calls out, worried that if someone got to him they have taken her as well. And if they hadn’t then it was an oversight for whoever tied him up like this. </p><p>There was a moment and then he heard someone running upstairs. He can tell immediately that it wasn’t Mrs. Hudson but John. </p><p>This leaves him with more questions. If he was there then why hadn’t he come looking for him? Maybe he just got home and was looking for him but couldn’t find him? That would make sense, Sherlock reasoned. </p><p>The door opens and John is standing in the doorway, looking at Sherlock, there is no look of surprise in his eyes, only a dark smirk as he looks at him. </p><p>Sherlock’s blood runs cold. “Help? John?” He asks, his voice suddenly a lot less sure than he had been moments before. </p><p>John shakes his head, a particularly dark look on his face, already so sure about what he’s going to do and Sherlock knows there’s no way to convince him of doing anything else. </p><p>“You’re not going to be getting down from there until I tell you that you can,” John responds, moving around so he’s standing in front of Sherlock.</p><p>“What this about, John?” He asks, trying to understand, his heart speeding up as it feels as though the walls are closing in on him, making it harder to breathe. His brain was struggling to catch up and was far from succeeding in doing so. None of this was making sense. Was this something that couples do? He’s never heard of it and was sure that if they did do this someone would mention it to him. </p><p>No, he’s sure this is something that is just them. But was it because they are Sherlock and John who do things strangely? </p><p>“Oh, you know what it is about, don’t you, Sherlock?” John asks, anger in his voice as he starts to pace in front of the other, fists clenching at his sides as though he was going to punch something. “You know exactly what you’ve done. I saw the way you were looking at him, Sherlock. I can’t have that. After the things I’ve done for you, I can’t have you looking at other guys the same way you look at me.” </p><p>Sherlock doesn’t have to ask to know who he was talking about. Moriarty. It has to be him. He was the only one he’s talked to in days and he sort of knows what John means by the way he looks at him. </p><p>Moriarty is interesting, so intriguing, and far, far from boring. That doesn’t mean he feels the same for him that he does for John and opens his mouth to say so. </p><p>“Shut up. SHUT UP!” John yells, seeing him starting to open his mouth and knowing that words were going to follow, not even caring at the flinch he gets in response to his screaming. “I don’t care, Sherlock. I don’t want your excuses and I know that’s what I’m about to get. If you want to apologize and beg for forgiveness then maybe I’ll be willing to listen.”</p><p>There’s a moment of silence where Sherlock stares at John but doesn’t say anything. He’s convinced that he has nothing to apologize for and while he might be growing more and learning about relationships he’s still under the firm belief that he shouldn’t apologize unless he’s really sorry and can mean the words he says. </p><p>“Right,” John says with a nod. “That’s what I thought.” He gives a humorless huff of laughter, shaking his head, “You are pathetic Sherlock.” He spits out before turning and going to sit on the bed. </p><p>“Now, you know why you’re here, we both know it. So, either you apologize now or you stay there until I get back from work and I might consider that punishment enough for what you have done."</p><p>Sherlock continues to stare at him, for a moment his mouth opens but he can’t seem to make himself say anything. The words just won’t come out and so, deciding he’s not going to get an apology, John gives a nod and stands up, walking out of the room. </p><p>He stays there, hanging, looking down. As soon as he’s alone he feels tears forming in his eyes and soon making their way down his face. </p><p>He couldn’t wrap his head around how things went so wrong so quickly. But was this really wrong? He wasn’t sure anymore. From what he’s seen with others it isn’t but there’s a lot he hasn’t seen, things he hasn’t been around for. This just didn’t seem right. John had always been so nice and caring and helpful with him. He could tell so much by looking at someone but this was something he never got from deducing John. Was it new or did he miss something for a year? </p><p>The thought hits that he had called for Mrs. Hudson earlier and tries again. It takes him a few tries before he’s able to really get loud enough to hope she hears him, the first few tries leads to his voice breaking and shaky, too quiet for anyone who isn’t in the room to hear. </p><p>Then he waits, hanging on the wall, trying to stop the tears in case anyone did hear him and come running up. </p><p>After five minutes he accepts that no one is coming and stops trying to stop himself from crying, giving in to it. The tears pouring down his face as a sob rips from him. He can no longer feel his arms and his head is pounding, struggling to breathe more than before with the sobbing. </p><p>He’s crying so loud and lost in thought that he doesn’t even notice the sound of footsteps making their way up the stairs, moving slowly until the door opens and Lestrade slowly makes his way in, looking around the room and seeing it’s empty his gun returns to the holder before turning to look at where the sobs are coming from. </p><p>“Jesus, Sherlock.” He says, walking over, making sure he’s moving slowly and the other sees him before picking the locks on the handcuffs and shackles, carefully lowering him to the ground and rubbing his wrists to help the blood flow. </p><p>“What happened here?” He asks, his voice soft as he watches the other slowly returning to himself and get the crying under control. If anyone had asked him what he expected walking in here, Sherlock Holmes crying like this wouldn’t have even entered his mind. </p><p>“J-John decided he needed t-to punish me.” He says, not meeting Lestrade's eyes, more than a little humiliated by what was happening. “Is Mrs. Hudson okay?” He was trying to change the subject and worrying about her all the same. </p><p>Lestrade nods, “Yeah, she called me and said she heard yelling up here and didn’t know what was happening. I was already getting ready to come anyway, Mycroft had told me I needed to do.” </p><p>Sherlock nods, eyes going to his wrists that Lestrade was still holding. “Is this normal? For relationships?” </p><p>Lestrade shakes his head, “No, it’s not and we’re going to pick John up after he’s finished with work. It’s not the normal way to do things but-“ </p><p>“I don’t want to press charges. He was right, I was doing things I shouldn’t have.” Sherlock says, cutting him off. </p><p>“No, nothing you could have done should have had John do something like that to you,” Lestrade says, firmly but not raising his voice. “Come on, I’m taking you to your brother's place and you’re going to stay with us for a few days until everything is sorted out.” </p><p>Sherlock starts to protest before sighing and nodding, giving in, “Can we stop by Mrs. Hudson’s and suggest her going to her sisters for a while or something? I don’t want her being here along if he can come back in here.”</p><p>“Yeah, come on.” Lestrade makes his way over to the door, waiting for Sherlock to come out with him. </p><p>He starts out the room, the other right behind him. He had been happy while it had lasted and now knows what happiness it. A fleeting feeling that shows up on occasion but never lasts. What’s the point in chasing it if it always just goes away?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kudos and comments are nice.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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